Hay-distributer



(No Model.)` 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. MGGOLLUM. HAY DISTRIBUTER.

No. 408,858. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

M8882, mmzwjauw (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2. A. MGGOLLUM. HAYDISTBIBUTEP..

No. 409,858. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER MCCOLLUM, OF RAYMOND, IOWA.

HAY-DISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,858, dated August2*?, 1889.

Application led December 5, 1888. Serial No. 292, 744:. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER McCoLLUM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Raymond, in the county of Black I'Iawk and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Distributers,of which the following is a full and clear description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2is a side elevation, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail of oneof the levers.

This invention relates to an apparatus designed'to be used in barns orin other places in connection with hay-carriers for automaticallydistributing the hay; and its object is to provide a simple and improvedapparatus of this character possessingI advantages in point ofinexpensiveness, durability, ease of operation, and general eiiiciency.

To this end the invention consists in an apparatus, the construction ofwhich will be hereinafter described, adapted to run upon tracks at eachside the hay-carrier track and receive the hay as it. is dropped fromthe carrier and automatically deposit it alternately at each side of thebarn, or can be dropped on same side, if desired.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the frame embodying arectangular bottom comprising the main beams h b and crossbeams b b.

C C designate the upwardly-divergent sides, comprising the uprights cand upper crossbeams c. The upper ends of the sides O are provided with'carryingwheels d, adapted to run upon track E E, located within thebarn. The sides of the frame are connected by cross-beams F F, securedto the uprights c.

The platform-support comprises in its construction the lower horizontalbeam g, having its ends g g preferably reduced and formed cylindrical,said ends bearing in the crossbeams b b of the frame. From near the endsof the beam g, and projecting at right angles to the latter, are twoparallel uprights I I provided at their upper ends with semicircularbearings 'L' 2, secured centrally below the under side of a platform G,the latter being 'from the carrier.

adapted to receive the hay as it is dropped The platform is rectangularin shape and has a smooth top surface. It is secured to a bar G', havingits ends pivoted in the upper portions of the uprights I I', which areconnected to the corners of the frame by means of the chains K andhelical springs K, said springs having a tendency to draw the platformand its supports I I to the center of the frame A, when the same hasbeen forced to either side by the weight of theload or charge placedupon the platform. The coil-springs are secured at their outer ends tothe upright-s c of the frame, while at their inner ends are preferablyformed hooks k', adapted to engage any one of the links of the chains Kto regulate the tension of the springs. Theplatform is normallyhorizontal, but in operation is slightly inclined to one or the otherside of the axis of its support. It is pivoted by its bar G to theuprights I I', so that it may tilt toward the side upon which the hay isplaced, and it is prevented from tilting to the opposite side when thehay is dropped upon it bytwo semicircular supports 'i c', adj ustablysecured under the platform by bolts passing through elongated slots t"i', formed longitudinally in the uprights I I of the platform-supports.

It will readily be seen that when the platform is tilted its undersurface will rest against the ends of the supports on the side towardwhich it is tilted, thereby permitting the load to be discharged on thatside.

As before mentioned, the object of the apparatus is to automaticallydischarge the hay alternately upon one side and then the other as it isdropped from the carrier, and to effect this operation I employ themeans which I will now proceed to describe. A horizontally-disposed iiatbeam M is secured at one end of the apparatus to the uprights C C, uponwhich are pivoted two corresponding levers N N, adapted to be engaged bythe vertical portion 0 of a rod O, the ends o o of which being' bentinwardly at right angles to the portion o and secured to the upright Iof the support upon that side, and also by a spring-arm P, projectinghorizontally from the same upright above the rod O, its free end portionbeing bent down nearly to a ver- IOO tical position. The levers comprisea V-shaped portion at their outer ends, the inner and outer arms n n andn n', respectively formed thereby, being inclined outwardly, the saidlevers being formed with a recess or groove 7", through which passes thelower end of the spring-arm P as it moves by the levers on the returnmovement of the platform-frame. Proj ecting inwardly at about rightangles to the outer edge of the arms n u are arms Q Q, provided withvertical recesses q q in their outer faces, said recesses being adaptedto alternately receive and retain the rod O. The levers are pivoted tothe fiat beam M by bolts R, passing through perforations providedthrough the levers near the inner termination of the arms n n', asshown. Recesses r r are respectively formed in the upper face of thearms Q to permit the passage of the spring arm P during the operation ofthe apparatus. Stops S are provided along the outer edge of the topsurface of the lever-platform to limit the movementI of the levers inone direction, while a lug or screw s', secured in the plat form betweenthe arms Q Q of the levers, limits the movement of the latter in theopposite direction.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The rod O normally restsin the recess q of the arm Q of one of the levers, and the platform,when in actual operat-ion, is held slightly to one side of the axis g ofits support. In this position the apparatus is drawn along its tracks tothe'desired point by means of a rope (not shown) secured to the lowerportion of the frame. The hay-carrier is then loaded and drawn along itstrack to a point directly above the apparatus, when the load is droppedupon the platform. The latter being at one side, the aXisof its supportis caused by Weight upon it to overcome the tension of the spring andmove farther to that side of its axis until the platform is inclinedsufficiently to discharge the load. During this movement the spring-armP passes along the outer edge of the arm n upon that side until the endof said arm is reached, when the tension of the spring-arm will cause itto spring into the V-shaped space-of the lever.

Then the platform is in position for discharging the load, the tensionof the springs K on the opposite side is exerted ina contrary direction.Thus when the load is discharged the platform is drawn back and thespringarm P passes through the recess r of the lever before mentioned,through the recesses r r of both levers, and engages the outer edge ofthe arm n of the opposite lever, the tension of the springs beingsufficient to carry the platform this distance beyond the point directlyabove the axes of the support g and cause the platform to draw upon thetension of the springs at `the opposite side in the opposite directionto that which has just been exerted. As the spring-arm moves along theedge of the arm n, against which it has been drawn by the springs, thearm Q of that lever is thrown beyond the inner edge of theleverplatform, and the recess q therein engages the rod O as the mainplatform recoils. The apparatus is then in position for receiving anddischarginga load upon the opposite side in the manner just described.

It will be obvious that the apparatus is entirely automatic in itsoperation, and with it the hay can be readily and quickly stored uponboth sides of the barn at the desired points without the aid of anyattendant save the operator of the hay-carrier. Vhen the sides of thebarn are filled, the central portion can then be filled by dropping thehay directly from the carrier.

The uprights I I', which carry the platform, may be formed in sectionsand secured together by notched plates or racks 5 and engaging-nuts 6,as shown in Fig. l, whereby the height of the platform may be varied.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an apparatus for storinghayin barns, the combination, with theframe A, of a platform pivotally mounted therein and provided upon oneof its supports with a projecting rigid rod, and a spring-arm and leversupon the frame coacting with said rod and arm to permit the platform toautomatically discharge the material as it is deposited thereonalternately upon one side and the other, substantially as hereindescribed.

2. In an apparatus for storing hay in barns, the combination, with theframe having the uprights, of a platform pivotally mounted in saiduprights, springs connected at the corners of the said frame and Withthe uprights, and adjustable chains adapted to regulate the tension ofsaid springs, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In an apparatus for storing hay in barns, the combination, with theframe, of a platform pivotally mounted therein and connected therewithby springs, said platform being provided with a projecting rod upon oneof the supports and with a projecting spring arm secured above the same,and the levers pivoted upon the frame, adapted to coact with said 'rodand arm to permit the platform to discharge the material as it isdeposited thereon alternately upon one side and the other, substantiallyas described.

et. In an apparatus for storing hay in barns, the combination, with theframe and the platform pivotally mounted therein and provided upon oneof its supports with arigid projecting rod and a spring-arm, of leverspivoted to the frame and comprising theinclined diverging arms and theinwardly-projecting recessed arm, said levers being' adapted to coactwith said rod and spring-arm, substantially as and for the purpose setforth. i

5. The herein-described levers, comprising the V-shaped portion composedof inclined divergent arms, said portion being recessed, as at o", andan inwardly-projecting arm at IOO IIO

an angle to said portion and provided with matically discharge thematerial as it is dethe recesses q and r, substantially as described.posited thereon alternately upon one side and 1o 6. In an apparatus forstoring hay in barns, the other, substantiallyas and for the purpose thecombination, With the frame having` upset forth.

Wardly-diverging side and longitudinal beams ALEXANDER MCCOLLUM. securedthereto provided with Wheels adapted Vitnesses:

to move upon tracks, of a platform pivotally T. S. WVAUD,

mounted in said frame and adapted to auto- J. M. W'ALKER.

